There’s no denying that in today’s world weddings can cost an arm and a leg. Over the years they’ve become a big business involving thousands of Euro. Truth is that weddings are really big occasions with big meanings, and therefore many justify breaking the bank to celebrate.
Souvenirs, or as they are referred to in some countries, wedding favours, might not be one of the highest costs on the list of wedding expenses. They are however high on the list of headaches when it comes to deciding what type and what kind to choose.
Here’s an original way of saving yourself the hassle of choosing the perfect souvenir and making your big day count even more by giving away meaningful, eco-friendly favours that your guests will surly appreciate.
The custom of donating to charity as an alternative to wedding souvenirs might still be new to the Maltese Islands, but over the past few years it’s been steadily gaining popularity all over the world.
Inspire – The Foundation for Inclusion which offers therapeutic, education and leisure services to many persons with disabilities, facilitates this good gesture by providing couples with wedding thank you cards to distribute to guests.
In this way family and friends are kept informed about the good deed and still have
something to take home with them as a memory of a big day. A spokesperson from
Inspire explained that when deciding to go for a charitable donation as an alternative
to souvenirs it is very important to choose the charity carefully. “Opting for
controversial donations like religious or political causes is not ideal. In order to
ensure that your guests don’t feel cheated, the charity chosen needs to be one
which the majority are likely to approve of or, which the couple or their families
have some form of affiliation to outside the wedding.”
The thank you cards, such as those provided by Inspire, make it possible for the
couple to be as discreet about their decision as possible. The cards give a full
explanation so that neither the bride nor the groom would need to make public
announcements. They also avoid having to plaster signs around the wedding
reception hall, which could risk turning the event into what looks like a fundraiser.
But what if you’re already married, or don’t intend to get married in the near future?
This gesture can be done whatever the occasion; whether it’s your anniversary, your birthday, a christening or any other type of celebration; donating to charity is always a great way to consolidate your joy, and to honour your guests for their presence and their love.
Inspire also offers thank you cards open for all occasions. So if you’re getting married, celebrate with a bang and make a long lasting difference to the lives of children with disabilities all over Malta. For more information contact Inspire on 2189 0000 or email fundraising@inspire.org.mt.
TESTIMONIALS (for a box)
“For our wedding we decided to forgo the usual wedding souvenirs and instead give
a donation to Inspire. The rational was not to spend money on gifts and objects that
would most probably end up in some drawer or thrown away, and as an alternative
to share the joy of our big day with people in need and the organisation that
supports them. By giving out the Thank You Cards that Inspire provided us with
we honoured our guests and reminded everyone about the importance of thinking
of others. We definitely encourage other individuals who are organising any kind of
event to do the same because it is highly satisfying as helping others always is.” (Dr.
Alistair Schembri & Mrs. Clarisse Schembri)
“When we were planning our 40th wedding anniversary celebration, we preferred to
make somebody happy, rather than receive gifts from our guests. Knowing fully
well that Inspire is one of the leading organisations in providing assistance to those
that are less lucky, we decided to ask our guests for a donation to Inspire. I must say
that our guests agreed with pleasure to this arrangement and at the end of the
celebration, with the collaboration of our guests, we were able to pass on a very
significant donation to Inspire. We hope that other couples will follow our example
so that Inspire may continue to work on its noble mission.” Vincent & Cettina Gauci,
Sta Lucija